Washing machine



April 14, 1925.

F. BALzER WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5.,' 1923 Patented Apr. 14, 1925,

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i `:FRITZ BALZER, OF MOLINF., ILLINOIS, CO., LTD., 0F CHICAGQILLINOIS SSIGNR TO TROY LAUNDRY IvTACHINERY A GORRTION OF NEW YORK.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed February To all lwhom it may] concern:

Be it known that I, Fmrz BALZEB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invent-ed certain new and use ful Improvements in `Washing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to washing machines.

More particularly the present invention relates to washing machines of the eylindri cal type in which a cylindrical drum revolves within a. casing, the inner walls of which casing conform to the outline of said t As commonly manufactured, the cylindrical drum is provided with at least one swinging door hinged about an axis lparallel with the axis of said drum. As heretofore manufactured, a considerable amount of space is wasted in the annular space between said cylindrical drum and its outer casing forl the reason that ay relatively large amount of clearance has been required to accommodate. the fittings for said door. As a. consequence of this wastage of space there has been an accompanying wastagecf water, fuel, soap and such washing chemicals as have been used in the washing machine. y,

Arr object of the present invention is to provide a washer of the cylindrical type in which the rotating cylinder or drum may fit within the outer casingwith relatively small clearance. y

A further object is to provide a washing machine in whiclrtlie clearance between the rotating cylinder or drum and the enclosing casing is reduced to a minimum and in kwhich the danger' of escape of articles from wit-hin the drum is minimized.

A .further object isto provide a construction of rotating cylinder or drum which is sturdy, which has no protruding parts beyond the cylindrical outline "of said drum, and which willreduce to a minimum the danger of escape of garments from said drum. A

ri further object is to provide a rotar1 cylinder orl drum having a swinging door, which provides sturdiness in a structure in which the trimmings for said door lie within the general out-line of the drum.

5, 1923. Serial N0. 616,875.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a view in elevation of a drum employing the principles of the present invent-ion, adoor for said drum being illustrated;

Figure 2 is a. view, on an enlarged sca-le, showing the end portion of the door and the drum of which said door forms a part;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along t-he plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4: is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the line 4 4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 3.

The numeral l indicates a drum mounted withinv the casing and provided with the staves 2 2, which staves are securely mounted in vsuitable end heads, said staves heilig held in place by means of the circumferential bands 3 3 located at the ends/of the drum. Hinged about the axis A A is the door 4, which door extends to the line marked B B in Figure l. According to common practice, the staves 2 2 may be spaced slightly apart and the staves may also be provided with holes to permit the circulation of washing medium. 'l` he door 4 substantially fills the space between the circumferential bands 3 8.

The door l is recessed or sunk below the cylindrical contour of the drum, so that all trimmings necessary for the opening and closing of the door and the holding of the door in closed position are within the cylindrical boundaries of the circumferential bands 3 3 at each end of the cylinder.

'Ihe door #l is provided at each of its ends with a hinge 5, each of which hinges consists of two main pieces. The butt end of each hinge is indicated by the numeral 6 and is rigidly fastened to the hinge rib T, which hinge rib is one of the staves of the cylinder but is ordinarily heavier than adjacent staves. 'Ihe butt end 6 is secured to the hinge rib 'Y by means of bolts 8 8 and wood screws 9, the butt end G being sunk into the hinge 7 whereby to 'avoid any projections beyond the gene al cylindrical boundary of the cylinder. The construction provides a rigid support for the butt ends G of the hinges 5. The swinging portion of each of the hinges FV-5' is fastened to the butt end (S by means of abolt or pin l1. Each of the bolts ll may be rivet-shaped, the end opposite the head` being split whereby the*V two halves may be spread apart to perform riveting,` functions. This typeof bolt or pin for providing aV pivot for the door i has been found useful in practice, inasmuch as repairs when necessary may be readily,accomplished.

The `door el isfn'iade up of al plurality of staves lQ-l2, the swing-ing portion '10 of each hinge beingffastened to each of 'the stavesf'lZ-'IQ- by means of `oltsI ln- 13. The stai/'5el l2 which is distant from the vhinge rib 'T'is ordinarily vtern/led a latch stave and in co-nventionaxl designs of washers as heretofore con'n'nonly used', this latchlsta-ve has been cut out'- at cach of its ends to receive the receptaclepfor the-latch.' This construction has added to the Acost of manufacture and has involved the weakeningl of thewoodworl; of the cylinder, According tolA they present invention, thev manufacturing costisfre'duced and weakening of the woodwork is avoided.I Accordingr to the construction of the present invention, the member l0 of each hingey is provided with a pai'rof upstanding 'guides la Ji which provide grooves for slidably holding the latch bolt Saidmembcr l0 is also pro-vided withv thel bridgeportion i6I which overll the latch boltl5 in order to holdsaid latch holt against movement outwardly` in a. diametrica'l -olir',ec'tionVV with reference to the ".vashing'A cylinder. The bridgefportion lo may bevsecured to the member if) of the hinge by means of'bolts NVQ-'16. The latch bolt l5 is cut out foifthevrreception of -Vthe spring .17, one end of which rests on the Vfront portion of the latch bolt 15, the other end of'` said spring` resting against` a proj-ectionylwhichis rigid with the.` member 1,0v of-"t-he hin-ge.` Said latch bolt hasA a finger piece 19 by means of which said' latclrbolt may vbe conveniently manipulated The under sid'eof theA door may be provided with the metal strengthening'member QO for preventing-the lioltheads from being' pulledintofthe wooden staves afterrsaid lstaves 'have been subjectedfto use.

The front portion of each latch bolt l5 venters into the'l head'sectron of the cylinder.l Forthe purpose of receiving said latch bolt,

each head' section is provided with a pocke- QO, each latch bolt being' adapted to under lie one: of: the circumferential bandsr 3 8.-

v inasmuch as there is considerable wear due ferential handS-in a position to engage its when wear has occurredvv and reversed in position whereby to present an unworn portion for an abutment against which the latch bolt l5 may engage..

The swinging` door. Il engages the rib 23, which may be stepped in its formation. indica-ted in Figure 3. The stepped portion of"l rib 23' may' be provided'with a.; shape-d metal protecting means 24e. The lower shelf 25 of the member 24 is engagedA by the. under side of the door/tandprevents small articles from working' their way out ofthe washing machine. 'Not only does. the member 2l provide a` close fitting: abutment` for? the swingingl door 4, but it also effectually sists wear, which is an iin-portanti feature. in the art to which the presenty invention pertains, inasmuch as the construction isin service subjected to heavyk duty.

Mounted on the insideof'l each cylinder head atv the' portion of the periphery-of the cylinder'in proximity tov thedoorl'is a wood strip 26, which follows the crosssec- .tional contour of the door.A its' shown in lFigui/e 5,` the door. engages said-strip Qtyto prevent the egress ofsmall articles between thedoor and theV cylinder head'.4

The present invention permits a substantialand heavy'- yrib and latch assembly for cylinders of. washing machines without necessitating a large lclearancibetween the rotatingy cylinder' and ,the outer casing. The cylinder mayvhave as small clearance as is practicable. from av mechanical standpoint,

ltltl thereby accomplishing a considerable vsavriphery of the cylinder,`it willV berealizcdf how'` considerable is thclvolume of -thespace savedfby the present invention. The; conso quent saving in washing materials is there forefa very important item to the laundry owner. i

Though a. preferredI embodiment.V of tho. present invention ha-sbe'en described in detail. many'modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art- It isy intended' in this patent to cover all such modifications lthat fall within the scope of theinvent-ion asdelined by the appended claims.

that is claimed is:`

l. A washing' cylindercoinprising a cylindrical portion having ay swinging door hingedabout an axis parallel with theA axis of said cylindrical portion, said swingingl door being' sunk beloi'v the peripl'ieralv sur face of the remainder of said cylindrical portion, said swinging doorbeing provided with a. hinge and a latch portion, both -'located within the peripheral contour of said cylindrical portion.

2. A washing cylinder comprising a cylindrical portion lhaving a swinging door hinged about an axis parallel with the axis of said cylindrical portion, said swinging door being sunk below the peripheral surface of the remainder of said cylindrical portion, said swinging door being provided `indrical portion having ay swinging door hinged about an axis parallel with the axis of said cylindrical portion, said swinging door being sunk below the peripheral surface o-f the remander of said cylindrical portion, said swinging door being provided with a` hinge and a latch portion, both located within the peripheral contour of said cylindrical portion. said cylindrical portion being'irovided with circumferential end bands, said latchfmember being provided with ar latch bolt adapted to underlie one of said circumferential bands for locking purposes, said circumferential band being providedwith a reversible wear plate for engagement with said latch bolt.

l. In a. washing machine, a cylindrical 1 drum having` circumferential end bands and a 'swinging door hinged about an axis parallel with the axis of saiddrum, said door being sunk below the peripheral contour of said drum, a hinge for said' door, said hinge being provided with a latch member provided with ay latch bolt and a guide member therefor, said hinge and latch mechanism all being located within the circumferential cont-our of said drum,said latch member bcing adapted to `underlie one of said circumferential bands for holding functions, said guide member for said latch bolt being bolt;- cd to said hinge member whereby to be readily replaceable in the event of wear.

jln a washing machine, a casing, a` rotary cylinder mounted within said casing and having small clearance relative thereto, said cylinder having a swinging door hinged about an axis parallel with the axis of said cylinder, said door being sunli below `the circumferential contour of said cylinder and being provided with hinge and latch trimmings located within said circumferential contour, said latch trimmings being mounted upon said hinge trimmings.

6.` In awashing machine, a casing,` a rotary cylinder mounted within said casing and having small clearance relative thereto, said cylinder having a swinging door hinged about an axis parallel with the axis of said cylinder, said door being snnlr below the circumferential contour of said cylinder and being provided with hinge and latch trimmings located within said circiniiferential contour, said latch trimmings being mounted upon said hinge trimmings, said cylinder having circumferential.end bands, said latch trimmings being adapted to underlie said circumferential end bands for latching purposes. i

7. In a washing machine, a casing, a rotary cylinder mounted within said casing and havingl small clearance relative thereto, said cylinder having a swinging door hinged about an axis parallel with the axis of said cylinder. said door being snnli below the circuinferential contour of said cylinder and being provided with hinge and latch trimmings located within said circumferential contour, said latch trimmings being' mounted upon said hinge trimmings, said cylinder having circnmferential end bands. said latch trimmings being adapted to underlie said circniiiferential end bands for latching purposes. said circnmferential end bands being provided with reversible wear plates for cngagemcnt with said latch trinnnings.

tl. In a washing inacliine, a casing, a rotary cylinder mounted within said casing and having small clearance relative thereto` said cylinder having a swinging door hiiigctjl about an axis parallel to the ar-is of said cylinder, said` door being sunk below the circuinferential lcontour of said cylinder, longitudinally extending stares for supporting the longitudinal edges of said door, one of said staves constituting the hinge support of said swinging door, the other of said staves constituting an abutment for the swinging edge of said door, said latter inentioned stave being of stepped conformation to permit close fitting of the door when in closed position.

9. In a washing machine, a rotary cylinder, said cylinder having an outwardly swinging door hinged about an axis parallel with the axis of said cylinder, said door being sunk below the circumferential contour of said cylinder, said door being provided with liingc and latch trimmings located within said circumferential contour, the ends of said ycylinder being provided with projections engaging the circumferential ends of said doei', the longitudinally swinging edge. of said door having a. portion abutting in a radial direction with a fixed part or said cylinder whereby the danger of egress of small articles from within said cylinder is minimized.

l0. In a 'ashing machine, a. casing.y a rotary cylinder mounted within saideasing and having small clearance relative thereto, Said cylinder' having alswinging door hinged about an axis parallel with the axis of Said cylinder7 said swinging door being provided with hinge and latclrtrimniings, Said door and trimmings allheing located Within the circumferential contour of Said cylinder, said latch trimmings including a latch,

anda circumferential band upon said cylinder, said latch being adaptedlto underlie 10 said circumferential hand' for locking pui'- poses. Y

Signed at Moline, lllinois,-th is 30th day et January, 1923. f

FRITZ BALZER, 

